Makoko 2035: An Encyclopedia

Floating Architecture

In the early years of the 21st century, floating architecture developed quickly in response to rising sea levels from climate change. Nigerian-born architect Kunlé Adeyemi's Makoko Floating School was one early example of this school of architecture, but it quickly inspired others. Matthew Butcher's floating weather station was launched onto the Thames River in 2016, a "floating food forest" was launched in New York City in 2018, and the vast Chinese floating city of Jiangshan was completed in 2023. Floating homes appeared first in Copenhagen, Lake Huron, London, and Amsterdam, but were followed quickly by entire fleets of floating homes that were constructed as a possible solution for "climate refugees" in Alaska, Louisiana, the Solomon Islands, and in other sunken parts of the world as seasteading gained in popularity.

Following repeated efforts by the Lagosian government to destroy Makoko (most notably in 2012 and 2015), some Makokoans argued that they should make as much of their community mobile as possible. If the government were to attempt another such purge, the community could weigh anchor and flee. This led to a number of floating homes being constructed in Makoko by those who could afford them. Ironically, many of these floating homes soon became surrounded by other, more traditionally-constructed salvage homes, effectively rendering them landlocked.
 

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